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A man who has never been afraid to walk a ‘difficult line’ and is generally respected by most people, whatever their political persuasion is Frank Field MP. Today he wrote a very good article in the Independent and frankly, I would recommend highly, reading it so hence the link: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/frank-field-mps-and-voters-war-is-just-beginning-1813204.html

In the face of all the hysteria about MP’s Expenses when the Party Leaders have crumbled under the force of a “Media Onslaught”, to me, that this most honourable of men should stand tall against the tide, surprises me not at all, he is what a great politician with a personal conscience, should be on any day, even the worse days of their lives.

My Comments

The following are just my reply and comments to the article and in a sense, I regret that because I am really “regurgitating” opinions I have already expressed on this my blog. On the other hand perhaps too, I am refining my approach, heck who knows ?

“With regard to Frank’s comments about the Speaker, I agree but would point out that neither of the two people best suited for the job, Vince Cable or himself stood and failing that the best candidate who did and would have handled the matter well because she was standing down anyway, Ann Widdercombe, got nowhere.

A Personal Reflection

Clearing some personal papers the other week, in my divorce papers of 1986, I came across a financial calculation based upon my then earnings (about average or slightly above for the time), of how much I would need to increase my pre-tax earnings by in order to support my wife and two dependent children plus myself separately, it was x3. I have no idea what that would have risen to if I had needed to live in or close to Westminster.

The main problem with this whole issue is that people have caught a bad dose of “Gordon Brownitus” which is a condition whereby people get deeply involved in every detail so that in the end, they can’t see the wood for the trees.

The Scandal

I must admit to falling about with laughter over Duck Houses, Moat Cleaning and bags of manure, hilarious, totally eccentric, totally English, if they had been Italian they would have at the very least got away with something of a high cash value ! We really are so amateur in these matters. But whilst these things were rather Gilbert and Sullivan, I was less impressed with the “Jaqui Smith type moves”.

If over these past 30 years or so, the various Prime Ministers had had the guts to pay MPs properly and openly a clearly defined package, we wouldn’t be having this huff, puff and bluster today. Legg, Kelly, Brown and the current Speaker are all useless because they will not reform this properly once and for all, they will buckle down to public opinion and as a consequence we will end up back in the 1950′s where the only people in the House were wealthy or, represented “special interests” such as Trade Unions and in today’s version, why not Merchant Banks, BAE, Harrods (oops we have done that one already !).

Let Them Be as Us

I am not interested in what an MP spends his or hers income on, it is irrelevant. The major change that comes out of this is that the House has lost it’s right as a Sovereign Body to self regulate itself on payments to its Members and although Constitutionally you could ponder the implications, this is not a totally bad thing. Moving forward and to reform this for pretty much all time, we need to put MPs in the same position as anyone else in that their total income falls under the inspection of the Taxman.

The benefits of this are obvious, all the same rules apply to them as to the rest of us. “So you are claiming that a flat you share in London with your sister is your main residence and that the house in the Midlands where you husband and family live, is your secondary residence ? No, I don’t think so Madam and can you explain what your husband who you pay 40k pa does for this wage ? “

Put them on the same footing and let the Revenue “police” them. It is perfectly obvious that talking about this allowance or that is daft and a total waste of time, why not take what they cost us right now and pay it to them in a monthly payment -gross under a self employed arrangement and forbid them ever to incorporate as a limited company. By the time you tot everything up, it is likely that the all in sum for the average MP will likely be around £400,000 pa – eye watering but, we are already paying it so let’s be smart and make it all accountable for and potentially taxable.

The Future Composition of Our Parliament

The point is this, today pretty much anybody with a real interest and the personal drive, could get themselves elected as an MP whether for a political party or as an Independent and that is what we need to retain not, rich kids and people on the “take” which it once was. Let us ensure the gross amount per MP is correct, under paying people is never a smart move if you expect them to behave properly.

On the other hand, keep on moaning and whining and set it all up for within the decade following a leaked email from a Bank or Trade Union, “instructing” their sponsored MP how to vote. Of course, it will then be revealed that MP “X” is living in a luxury fully serviced penthouse flat in the West End paid for by their “sponsor” and on which they pay a peppercorn rent, which will then lead to revelations concerning the personal arrangements of others. Heigh Ho, here we go again, just not smart.”